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The differences between major gifts officers and directors of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a major gifts officer and a director of special events. Additionally, a major gifts officer has an average salary of $84,209, which is higher than the $63,671 average annual salary of a director of special events.
The top three skills for a major gifts officer include moves management, solicitation strategies and donor prospects. The most important skills for a director of special events are event planning, alumni, and event management.
| Major Gifts Officer | Director Of Special Events | |
| Yearly salary | $84,209 | $63,671 |
| Hourly rate | $40.49 | $30.61 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 63,570 | 23,252 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A major gifts officer is responsible for coordinating with organizations and sponsors for donation purposes to support an institution's cause and activities for social services. Major gifts officers identify donors by conducting in-depth research, usually those personalities who have a history of donating to organizations. They provide presentations and an objective outline to the potential sponsors, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and manage their presence during the event proper. A major gifts officer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports and planning events efficiently.
A director of special events spearheads and oversees the planning and execution of various events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically set goals and guidelines, manage schedules and timelines, outline plans and strategies, coordinate managers and different departments, and liaise with vendors and suppliers, building positive business relationships in the process. Moreover, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Major gifts officers and directors of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Major Gifts Officer | Director Of Special Events | |
| Average salary | $84,209 | $63,671 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $132,000 | Between $35,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Earthjustice | NRDC |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Professional |
There are a few differences between a major gifts officer and a director of special events in terms of educational background:
| Major Gifts Officer | Director Of Special Events | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between major gifts officers' and directors of special events' demographics:
| Major Gifts Officer | Director Of Special Events | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 25.1% Female, 74.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |